Terns

Spring heralds the arrival of terns on the Essex Coast from their over-wintering grounds in West Africa.

They’re here to breed, and within a colony, each pair will select an area of loose sand or shingle in which to make a ‘scrape’ with their feet. This small shallow dip in the ground, into which the female lays her eggs, is extremely vulnerable as it’s virtually invisible to the naked eye.

Terns are elegant birds, distinguishable from gulls by their slim, streamlined appearance and can be seen hovering above the water before plunge-diving for fish.

Common Tern

The tern you’re most likely to see on the Essex coast. Often sighted in small noisy nesting colonies or patrolling and hovering above the waves before diving down to hunt for fish.

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Little Tern

The smallest tern to nest on Essex shores, often heard chattering away in small colonies or performing exceptional aerial acrobatics as they dive into the water hunting for small fish.

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Sandwich Tern

One of the larger terns to visit our shores, you’ll often spy sandwich terns scouting above the waves before diving down to catch fish.

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